GreatCall focuses on health, wellness through handset apps

SAN DIEGO — As retail distribution for GreatCall’s Jitterbug J cell phones expands, the company has placed a stronger emphasis on its health-and-wellness apps for the Jitterbug handsets.

GreatCall’s GreatHealth apps currently offer a range of services, including the award-winning LiveNurse, which offers unlimited 24/7 access to a live registered nurse, and the Medication Reminder service, which enables users to easily follow their medication schedule as prescribed by their doctor, track adherence and receive prescription refill reminders. Also available are Wellness Calls with Dr. Brian Alman, which offer a series of thoughtful questions and information for relaxing, motivating and overall well-being.

The health-and-wellness apps range in price from $0 to $10.

“As we continue to expand GreatCall’s retail presence, we’re excited to reach a new group of users who want simple handsets, including the Jitterbug J, as well as easy-to-use and helpful services and applications,” said Ryan Jones, VP sales for GreatCall.

Smoking among children, teens with diabetes on the rise

PASADENA, Calif. — A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that the use of tobacco products among young diabetics is on the rise, and many haven’t been counseled by their healthcare providers to not smoke or stop smoking.

The study, which was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that among 3,466 children and young adults with diabetes — ages 10 to 22 years old — 10% of Type 1 diabetics and 16% of Type 2 diabetics currently were using some form of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars or smokeless tobacco. Less than half of the respondents reported that they had been advised by their healthcare provider to not smoke or stop smoking.

And while smoking touts its own health risks, the study found that the diabetic smokers surveyed showed early signs of cardiovascular disease. Young people who were past and current smokers had a higher prevalence of high triglyceride levels, high LDL cholesterol levels, low HDL cholesterol levels and more physical inactivity than nonsmokers, the study authors noted.

"We found a substantial proportion of youth with diabetes are current cigarette smokers, which greatly adds to their already elevated risk for heart disease," said study lead author Kristi Reynolds, a research scientist and epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation. "Smoking is preventable, so aggressive smoking prevention and cessation programs are needed to prevent or delay heart disease in youth with diabetes."

The findings were based on analysis of data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study, a large multicenter study of youth diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 20 years who were enrolled by six clinical centers in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina and Washington.

That’s the problem with most trade magazines today — by the time you get the issue, it’s all old news; often more than a month old by the time it lands on your desk.

And we know from talking to readers just like you that you don’t get your news that way anymore. You’re online. You’re WiFi-enabled. You read electronic newsletters like DSN A.M. every morning on your iPhones, iPads, Blackberries and Droids. You go to the Web because you want the latest breaking news. You read magazines for other reasons.

You told us that magazines are NOT for reporting the news any more. You told us that you think a magazine’s job is to provide deeper insight and perspective. A magazine’s job, you said, is not to tell you that something “happened.” A magazine’s job is to tell you what it means and why it’s important to you. A magazine’s job is to tell you what you DON’T ALREADY know about the things you THINK you already know.

That is the mission of the NEW DSN. And it begins on the cover of every issue. Our bold new format allows us to use the cover of DSN to make a statement that can’t be lost, glossed over or otherwise misconstrued. If we think it’s important, it isn’t going to be buried in a sea of tired, old headlines about stuff you already know about.

The changes we are making are based on extensive reader surveys and an independent survey of retail executives from leading national chains. It means exciting new departments that put a much clearer focus and broader emphasis on new store formats and products that you HAVE NOT already seen before.

And we’re not just changing the magazine. As this issue of DSN went to press, our Web editors were busy rolling out our vastly enhanced new website at DrugStoreNews.com. It’s now easier to navigate and incorporates some exciting, new content features beyond just the top headlines, including more store photos, more new products, deeper dives into the data and more.

And we’re still updating the site with the latest, breaking news more than 20 times a day. Want to make sure you don’t miss a single important headline? Make sure you’re signed up to receive the DSN electronic newsletters that you need to stay on top of your business.

You told us that today a trade magazine like Drug Store News HAS TO be more than just a collection of month-old headlines. We listened.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Peggy Noonan, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and singer Diana Ross now feature on the schedule for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting, slated for April 21-24 in Palm Beach, Fla.

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